Tool holder

Abstract

A tool holder particularly suited for carrying a hammer or a hatchet from a wearer's waist belt includes a tool suspension arrangement joined to a waist belt suspended pliant pad. The tool suspension arrangement comprises a pivot rod extending normally from and joined to the pad and a protruding support element. Spaced apart end portions of the support element are riveted to the pad and a forward portion of the support element spaced apart from the pad supports the pivot rod. A swivelable pivot rod supported element includes a lower clip portion engaging a laterally extendable tool loop in frictionally pivotable relationship. The tool loop is movable from a position substantially flush with the pad avoiding inconvenient interference to the wearer, to a tool suspending position extending laterally from the pad. For use, the tool loop is rotated from the flush position to the extended position. The shaft of an implement such as a hammer is placed through the tool loop with the crosspiece of the hammer being suspended therefrom. The tool loop swivels about the pivot rod to maintain the hammer in a generally upright position, even though bending over by the wearer tilts the waistbelt suspended pad, thus preventing the hammer from falling out of the tool loop, and the hammer crosspiece to be readily grasped and rotated about an arc to facilitate insertion and removal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tool holder for supporting from a waist belt an implement of the type having a shaft and a crosspiece transverse to the shaft, comprising: pad means for supporting a tool suspension arrangement adjacent thereto;   a protruding support element including means spaced apart from the pad means for supporting pivot means generally normal to the pad means;   pivot means coupled to the pad means defining a swivel axis normal to the pad and the support element for swivelably supporting a tool suspension loop; and   means including a tool loop pivotally coupled to the pivot means and spaced apart from the swivel axis for suspending a tool of the aforementioned type in swivelable relationship from the tool crosspiece so that a shaft of a tool when inserted in the loop remains in a generally upright position and is prevented from falling out of the loop when the pad means is at an angle to a nominal wearing position and so that the tool and the tool loop may be readily rotated facilitating tool insertion and removal from the tool loop and enhancing the comfort of the wearer.   
     
     
       2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 and in which: the pivot means comprises a pivot rod defining a swivel axis;   the means including a tool loop comprises swivel means pivotally coupling the pivot rod to the tool loop, the tool loop defining a pivot axis and being pivotable thereabout, the pivot axis spaced apart and normal to the swivel axis so that the tool loop is movable from a position extending laterally and generally normal to a plane tangential to the pad means when in use, to a second position upright and substantially flush against the pad means.   
     
     
       3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 and in which: the pad means comprises a pliant piece having means for coupling the pad to a waist belt;   the swivel means comprises an apertured portion pivotally coupled to the pivot means and means partially surrounding the tool loop about the pivot axis holding the tool loop in force fitting frictional relationship; and   the tool loop comprises means for limiting downward rotation of the tool loop when in use below the lateral position.   
     
     
       4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 and in which: the protruding support element having facing spaced apart side regions extending from the pad, the pivot means disposed between the side regions, the swivel means defining a width adjacent the lower portion of the side regions and the side regions being sufficiently spaced apart to allow the tool loop to swivel about an arc in excess of about 60°.   
     
     
       5. The invention as set forth in claim 1 and in which: the pivot means defining a pivot axis extending normal from the pad;   the means including a tool loop includes a swivel element defining a pivot arm for pivotally suspending the tool loop remote from the pivot means to rotate about the swivel axis.   
     
     
       6. The invention as set forth in claim 5 and in which: the swivel means extending from the pivot means to define a plane of rotation generally parallel to the pad and normal to the pivot means, the tool loop being a rigid portion and joined to the swivel means remote from the pivot means to limit the frequency of tool sway, and the tool loop nominally defining a plane generally normal to the pad; and in which   the swivel means being protectively covered about the swivel axis by the protruding support element.   
     
     
       7. A tool holder for supporting an implement of the type having a crosspiece and a longitudinal portion extending normal to the crosspiece, comprising: a pliant pad;   a protective support element coupled to the pad, the support element including a portion spaced apart from the pad;   a pivot rod defining a swivel axis normal to a plane passing through the pad, the pivot element supported by the pad and the portion of the support element spaced apart from the pad;   means coupled to the rod to rotate about the swivel axis including a tool loop extending outward from and generally normal to the pad and spaced apart from the pivot rod to swivel about the pivot axis for facilitating tool insertion and removal and enhancing the comfort of a wearer, the means coupled to the rod comprising a swivel element, the tool loop being joined to the swivel element remote from the rod, the tool holder when in use maintaining an implement upright and minimizing tool sway.   
     
     
       8. The invention as set forth in claim 7 and in which: the swivel element comprising a loop portion defining two spaced apart generally upright leaves and aperture means extending through each of the leaves, the rod extending through the aperture means so that the swivel element is rotatable about the rod, the swivel element further comprising a clip portion spaced apart from the loop portion for retaining the tool loop in pivotable relationship, the tool loop including a portion adjacent the pad defining a pivot axis and coupled to the clip portion of the swivel element to rotate from an outwardly extending position to a position substantially flush with the pad.   
     
     
       9. The invention as set forth in claim 8 and in which: the tool loop comprises a nub extending generally normal to a plane passing through the loop when the loop is outwardly extended and engaging the swivel element when the loop is extended to the outward position to limit downward travel of the loop; and   the support element comprising a pair of spaced apart end portions fastened to the pad and a forward portion spaced apart from the pad and side portions coupling the end portions to the forward portion, the side portions being sufficiently spaced apart and the swivel element having a sufficiently narrow shape with respect to the rod location so that the tool loop is allowed to swivel over an arc in excess of about 60°.   
     
     
       10. The invention as set forth in claim 9 and in which: the tool loop is joined to the swivel element in frictional force fitting relationship so that the tool loop is maintained in the outwardly extending position or the flush position upon manual placement, the tool loop further having a flattened surface normal to a plane passing through the loop along a segment of the loop which is joined to the pivot element so that only limited manual effort is required to begin the movement of the tool loop from the position substantially flush with the pad toward the outwardly extending position;   the pad comprising leather and the end portions of the protective support element are riveted to the pad;   the protective support element comprising a top portion covering the rod and loop of the swivel element and extending to edges of the side portions and the forward portion; and   the tool loop having an upward curved configuration remote from the pivot axis to direct the crosspiece of the tool towards the pad.   
     
     
       11. The invention as set forth in claim 7 and comprising rider plate means disposed against the pad for reducing frictional travel and protecting the pad as the pivot element swivels about the pivot axis, the portion of the swivel element adjacent the loop riding against the plate. 
     
     
       12. The invention as set forth in claim 7 and comprising means removably coupled to the tool loop for effectively reducing the size of the tool loop opening, including a plurality of clip-on portions and means extending central to the tool loop to provide separate openings and separate shoulders for suspending a plurality of tools. 
     
     
       13. The invention as set forth in claim 12 and in which the means coupled to the rod comprises a swivel element, the tool loop being pivotally coupled to the swivel element, remote from the rod in pivotal relationship to rotate from an outwardly extending position to a position substantially flush with the pad, and in which the tool loop is resiliently biased towards the pad, the loop extendable to an outward position upon the application of manual force about the tool loop axis. 
     
     
       14. The invention as set forth in claim 13 and comprising: a spring element surrounding a portion of the tool loop adjacent the pad, the spring element terminating in a torque arm at each opposing end;   the tool loop comprising a nub extending generally normal to a plane passing through the loop limiting downward travel of the tool loop as the nub bears against the swivel element; and   one of the torque arms of the spring bearing against and transverse to the nub of the tool loop and the other of the torque arms bearing on the swivel element biasing the tool loop toward the resilient pad; and comprising   means for locking the tool loop in the outwardly extending position.